Last Movies You Have Rented

[aifan4life]

No problem, happy. I really thought it'd be more entertaining, but honestly, I just couldn't get into it. If you have small children, I don't recommend it. It has a lot of language and there is one scene that was quite inappropriate. But that was just my opinion, of course.

[emjoi]

Young Frankenstein - 5/5 for me, but didn't work well with my mother and sister inlaws.
Sister Act - 3/5 from me, but then that's what they wanted to see, not me.
Lion King 3, Akubra Matata (or whatever the hell it is) - Kids = 5/5, me? Well I'm not the target audience.
Missing - 3.5/5. Fine, but it became a rather conventional western. I was hoping for something... spookier? deeper? dunno. Something more.

[ADKLove]

emjoi - Young Frankenstein is hysterical

I rented Secret Window - I actually liked it, even though I figured out the plot early on....I'd say

Also rented Miller's Crossing (hadn't seen it in a long time - forgot about it until I saw Turturro in another film). This is a GREAT movie.

[dfleming2]

I rented Seabiscuit.... watched it and fell asleep

Tried again... fell asleep again... gonna try it once more before I give up

[Aptly_Named]

I am admitting that I rented Dirty Dancing - Havana Nights. meh. I guess it was okay - I fast forwarded through certain parts. However, it was incredibly surreal to see an older (yet still in fine form) Patrick Swayze as a dance instructor, dancing the original mambo routine, to the same music from Dirty Dancing. Weird.

I also rented Girl With a Pearl Earring. I really liked it. It was beautifully shot, and, well, Colin Firth is in it.

[emjoi]

emjoi - Young Frankenstein is hysterical

Also rented Miller's Crossing (hadn't seen it in a long time - forgot about it until I saw Turturro in another film). This is a GREAT movie.

I was actually looking for The Producers. It's playing in Melbourne Australia right now and I'd taken the wifey to see it. The movie is much better.... no love sub-plot..... Ulla is nicely stupid and one dimensional, and a small bit part.
"Ulla! Go. To. Work."

Millers Crossing.... oh yes. Well worth it.

[AJane]

I also rented Girl With a Pearl Earring. I really liked it. It was beautifully shot, and, well, Colin Firth is in it.

Ooooh, I didn't know that Colin Firth was in that...I bet he's in period costume too, right? You have to love a man who can wear a frilly shirt and tights and look soooo right...

Ahem, yes, last movie seen - City of God, excellent, excellent movie. I will definitely be watching it again. Also saw Bubba Ho-Tep this weekend, which I enjoyed but probably found it far funnier than it was supposed to be Bruce Campbell is one helluva cool Elvis impersonator.

[Broadway]

I think I'll bring the substance level down a notch with my rentals from today.

I was in the mood for a fluff day, so... picked up "Chasing Liberty" and "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen."

I had wanted to see the latter because of gorgeous Adam Garcia, but unfortunately his part was too small and too insane. I think I'm going to have to pull out Coyote Ugly for my AG fix.

Chasing Liberty was very cute, and exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. Something light.. but good. I enjoy Mandy Moore.

I promise to rent something deeper next time.

[happyblue]

My mini filmfest concluded tonight. Nothing really stood out.

Hellboy, ***
Spellbound, ***
Northfork, ***
The Debut, ***
Lilo & Stitch, **
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, **

Hellboy was everything I expected a Guillermo del Toro film would be (under PG-13 restrictions). Over-the-top action, gore, CGI fx, snappy catchphrases, freaky characters, cheesy plot. All in good fun. The DVD features include an exhaustive amount of behind-the-scenes footage, a backstory of the characters, an animated storyboard and some Saturday morning cartoons ("Hellboy's recommendations").

I was fascinated by Spellbound, a doc about the US national spelling bee and their contestants. It just didn't leave a big mark on me. It felt like I was watching a Dateline special. Instantly forgettable the next day.

Northfork is a feast for the eyes. Almost every shot is like a painting. The movie moves like a slow dream. In fact, much of the movie takes place in a dying boy's head. The movie is about death and finding peace with our own deaths. It sure does drag and I usually don't like slow, depressing films. But this one is shot so wonderfully, I was captivated by it.

The Debut is the filipino-american version of Soulfood. It does a great job introducing filipino customs/traditions to a mainstream audience. It also brings up the issue of 2nd generation filipino-americans assimulating into the "white" and "black" cultures of the US and forgetting their own culture. It's an eye-opening film for filipinos and nonfilipinos.

I admire "Lilo & Stitch" for a couple of reasons. An unconventional big sister-little sister family is used instead of the ones we typically see. The references to Hawaiian culture are educational. The character of Stitch is just so annoying. It is loud, ugly and unlikeable. It feels like they were trying to compensate for a dull story.

"Confessions" is the first film directed by George Clooney. He does a reasonably good job with a quirky, Charlie Kaufman script. The story is about Chuck Barris, a game show producer and part-time assasin for the CIA. Like Stitch, there's nothing remotely likeable about Barris. He comes off as a huge a-hole. Sam Rockwell is a great actor but even he couldn't make Barris seem all that interesting.

[happyblue]

New rentals this week.

Capturing the Friedmans
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
8 Mile
The Terrorist
Swimming Pool
Cabin Fever
Power Puff Girls

I'll call this week the "bring-the-substance-level-down-a-notch" filmfest.